The present embodiments relate to a method and a system for changing geographic information displayed on a mobile device.
Mobile or portable devices, such as mobile telephones, portable personal computers (e.g., notebook computers, tablets), personal digital assistants (PDAs), and/or personal navigation systems, may be used to obtain and/or provide various geographic information, features, and services. Mobile and portable devices may, for example, provide a user traveling through a geographic region with a map of the geographic region. The map may detail a road network, geo-political boundaries, topographical features (e.g., lakes, mountains, etc.), and/or points of interest in the geographic region. Example points of interest include businesses (e.g., retailers, merchants, service providers, other businesses, etc.), tourist attractions (e.g., museums, sporting venues), and/or municipal entities (e.g., City Hall). Mobile and portable devices may also provide information (e.g., hours of operation, address, phone number, etc.) about the road network, geo-political boundaries, geological features, and/or points of interest, either directly on the map or on a separate screen.
These mobile and portable devices may also provide the user with route calculation and guidance. For example, some mobile or portable computing platforms are able to provide users with an optimum route to travel using roads in the road network between locations in the geographic region. Using input from an end user, and, optionally, from equipment, such as a GPS system, that may determine the end user's physical location, a navigation application program determines a route to travel from a starting location to a destination location in the geographic region. The user of the mobile or portable computing platform is then provided with information about the route in the form of instructions that identify the maneuvers to travel from the starting location to the destination location.
Although present mobile or portable devices that provide geographic information, features, and/or services are able to provide many useful advantages, there continues to be room for improvement. Currently, end users who are viewing one screen or display of geographic information (e.g., maps, route guidance, etc.) and wish to view or see different or additional geographic information must view that information in a different or separate screen or display on their mobile or portable device and/or actively import that information via their mobile or portable device by, for example, downloading that information or selecting that information using a series of menus. Thus, it is an objective of the present embodiments to provide a quicker, easier, and more intuitive way for end users to change or switch between and/or view different and/or additional screens or displays of geographic information via their mobile or portable device.